Capillary tube dispensing vial and stand

ABSTRACT

A vial for storing and dispensing capillary tubes includes an open ended housing having an internal cup slidably mounted therein. The vial cooperates with a foldable stand which supports the vial with the cup raised so that the upper ends of the capillary tubes flare radially outwardly, separating the exposed tube ends and facilitating easy removal of individual tubes.

United States Patent 11 1 lnglish et al.

1451 Nov. 12, 1974 CAPILLARY TUBE DISPENSING VIAL AND STAND [75]Inventors: Sumter R. lnglish, Stamford, Conn;

Walter John May, Queens Village, N.Y.

[73] Assignee: Propper Manufacturing Co. Inc.,

Long Island, New York, NY.

[22] Filed: Sept. 21, 1972 [21 1 Appl. No.: 290,990

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No.135,916, April 21,

1971, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 206/44 R, 206/45.l4, 206/443,

206/523, 206/804, 312/73 [51] Int. Cl 865d 5/50, 865d 5/52, B65d 85/20[58] Field of Search 206/56 R, 56 AC, 45.14, 206/45, 44 R, 46 FC;248/46, 44, 158, 174, 152; 312/73 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,195,451 8/1916 Eisenhardt 312/73 1.573.158 2/1926 GllChl'lSl312/73 2,895,696 7/1957 Mergenthaler. 248/158 3.164350 1/1965 Taub206/44 R 3,187,886 6/1965 Honey 206/46 FC 3,190,438 6 1965 Cain et 61.206/45 3,314,531 4/1967 Cheris et 61.... 206/44 R 3.432,027 3/1969Mueller 206/56 R Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr. Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Amster & Rothstein [57] I ABSTRACT A vial for storing anddispensing capillary tubes includes an open ended housing having aninternal cup slidably mounted therein. The vial cooperates with afoldable stand which supports the vial with the cup raised so that theupper ends 01' the capillary tubes flare radially outwardly, separatingthe exposed tube ends and facilitating easy removal of individual tubes.

1 Claim, 9 Drawing Figures CAPILLARY TUBE DISPENSING VIAL AND STAND Thisis a continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 135,916 filed Apr. 21,1971 now abandoned.

This invention relates generally to laboratory diagnostic equipment andmore specifically to a vial and vial standfor storing and convenientlydispensing capillary tubes.

Glass capillary tubes are used in a variety of medical laboratoryprocedures, including, for example, the centrifuge separation of variousblood components and the analysis of clotting time of blood. In thelatter procedure, the tip of a capillary tube is immersed in a bloodspecimen, drawing the specimen into the tube by capillary action. Thetube is then broken at different locations along its length at selectedtime intervals to determine when clotting occurs. In this procedurecapillary tubes are used one at a time and are destroyed during use. Inother procedures, used tubes may be stored for reference. In eithercase, the laboratory technician must have a supply of tubes convenientlyavailable within easy reach on the technicians laboratory table.

Capillary tubes are generally packaged in units of 100 in a conventionalvial or carton. Each time the technician removes a tube for use from aconventional package, the entire vial or package must be handled withthe technician shaking out a number of tubes so that a single tube canbe separated. This procedure requires that a technician use both handsand frequently results in tubes being spilled and broken.

It is thus an object of applicants invention to provide a vial forstoring and dispensing capillary tubes which ismore convenient and saferthan prior packaging.

It is a related object of the present invention to provide a singlepackage for shipping, storing and safely dispensing capillary tubes in amanner that permits a technician to withdraw one tube at a time with onehand, leaving the other hand free to prepare the specimen or otheraspects of the test.

ln accomplishing these and other objects in accordance with the presentinvention, a vialfor storing and dispensing capillary tubes comprises anopen-ended housing enclosing a slidable cup. For shipping and storage,the cup is positioned against a stop at the base of the housing and theopen housing top is covered. For use as a dispenser, the cover isremoved andthe cup is raised in the housing permitting-the upper ends ofcapillary tubes to flare radially outwardly, separating individualtubesso that they may be easily grasped. The vial may be used in combinationwith a foldable stand including an aperture for receiving the via] andanupstanding projection adapted to support the cup in its elevatedposition.

Further objects, features, and advantages ofthe present invention willbe appreciated by reference to the following detaileddescription of apresently preferred but. nonetheless illustrative ebodiment thereof,when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1* is an exploded perspectiveview of applicants capillary tubedispensingvial;

FIG. 2'is a cross-sectional view of applicants vial in its storageconfiguration;

FIG. .3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 3-3 inFlG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vial in its dispensingconfiguration;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a foldable stand for use in combination with thevial in its flat folded configuration;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, partially cut-away, of the stand inupright position with the end flaps open;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 6 with theend flaps in folded position;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the box in its erect condition; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 99 in FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawing, vial 10 includes an outer housing 12 which, inthe preferred embodiment, is an open-ended cylinder of plastic or othersuitable material, preferably transparent. The housing 12 is adapted toreceive a cylindrical cup 14 having a closed bottom and open top. Thediameter of cup 14 is sufficiently smaller than the diameter of housing12 to permit the cup to be easily received within the housing. Thehousing is provided with an upturned ledge 12a along its lower edge toengage the bottom of cup 14 and to act as a stop preventing cup 14 fromsliding through the open bottom of cylinder 12. In addition, cup14includes four shims 16 extending radially outwardly from its upper lipto assure positive engagement between cup 14 and the inner surface ofcylinder 12. Shims 16 are preferably created by deforming the upper lipof cup 14 so that the cup will be easily received into cylinder 12through the cylinders open top. The vial is provided with a cap. 18having a depending cylindrical section 18a adapted to be received withinthe open top of housing 12 and a tab portion 18b extending from thetopof the cover to permit easy removal of the cover from the vial. Thecylindrical cap section 18a includes a beveled lower edge 18c to permiteasy insertion of the cap.

A plurality of conventional capillary tubes 20 are received withinhousing 12 with one end thereof being positioned in cup 14 as shown inFIG. 2. Capillary tubes 20 are of a type well-known in the art andgenerally comprise small diameter glass tubes approximately 3 inches inlength used in various laboratory diagnostic procedures. Although onlyrepresentative capillary tubes 20 are shown in the drawing, it is to beunderstood that the vialis intended to be filled with a sufficientnumber of tubes to cover approximately one-half to three-fourths of thecross-sectional area of the vial. The tubes should not be packed toodensely to permit easy access as described below.

Discs of foam material 22a, b are positioned within cup 14 respectivelyto more securely retain the individ ual tubes during shipping andstorage and to prevent breakage. Foam discs 22 are resilient and aredimensioned so that the distance between the lower face of disc22aandthe upper face of disc 22b (when'the vial is closed)is slightlyless than the length of the capillary tubes so that the tubes areretained under slight axial tension. The tensed engagement of thecapillary tubes with discs 22a and 22b preventsexcessive verticaland-/or lateral movement of the tubes and this significantly reducesbreakage during handling.

FIGS. 5-8 show a foldable standfor supportingvial 1'0 in'an erectdispensing configuration on a table or otherwork surface. Stand 24comprises a foldable box 26 ofpap'er-board or other similar materialincluding a top section 260, a bottom section 26b, side sections26c andaconventional box end construction including side flaps 26d and a largeclosing flap 26e having a folded portion 26f adapted to be closed innormal box fashion.

The top surface 26a of the box includes an aperture 28 which isdimensioned to receive the outer shell 12 of vial 10. Stand 24 includesa foldable rigidifying and vial supporting structure 30 which ispreferably formed integrally with the box structure when the box isassembled. In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the entirestand structure is fabricated from a single piece of paperboardappropriately cut and folded.

Support section 30 (in its upstanding configuration as shown in FIGS. 6,7, 8 and 9) includes an upstanding central portion 30a and twoupstanding lateral portions 30b. The upstanding central portion 30a isaligned so that when the box is in an upstanding position, centralportion 30a is centrally located with respect to aperture 28. Thediameter of central portion 30a is selected to be received within thebottom of housing 12 as shown in FIG. 9. At the same time, the sidemembers 30b are fastened by adhesive or other appropriate means to theinterior of 'the top surface 24a of the box. The side members tend tostrengthen and rigidify the box structure. Side members 30b areconnected to central portion 30a by connecting sections 30c which raisecentral portion 30a when the box stand is erected and maintain centralportion 30a in an essentially vertical position while the stand is inuse. Connecting sections 300 also support the outer wall 12 of the vialwhen the vial is in position on the stand.

As is apparent from the drawing, stand 24 can be conveniently foldedinto the flat configuration of FIG. for packaging in a larger containerwith one or more of applicants dispensing vials. The stand may then beassembled by folding the box sides 260 into their upright position,closing the end flap 26d and the closing flap 26e with section 26f beinginserted above side flaps 26d and under the box top section 26a inconventional fashion. Since structural members 30b are secured to topsection 26a by sections 300, the entire central support structurebecomes erect when the box is assembled. with upstanding member 30abeing aligned with aperture 26. The dispensing vial (with its topremoved) may then be set into aperture 26 with upstanding member 30adriving cup 14 upwardly with respect to the sleeve 12. in thisdispensing configuration the upper end of capillary tubes 20 arepermitted to flare radially outwardly as shown in FIG. 9, separating thetwo ends and permitting the individual capillary tubes to beconveniently grasped for use. The height of cup 14 obviously must besubstantially less than the height of housing 12 to permit this flaringeffect. Alternately, the vial may be used without the stand.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are merelyexamples of the application of the principles of applicants invention.Numerous additional embodiments will be obvious to those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit or scope of the present inventionas defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a vial for storing and dispensing capillary tubescomprising an open-end housing with its height greater than twice itsdiameter and having upper and lower ends, a cup having a cross-sectionsubstantially conforming to the cross-section of said housing and beingreceived within said housing for sliding movement therein, the height ofsaid cup being less than one-half the height of said housing, a stop atthe lower end of said housing preventing said cup from passing throughsaid lower end, a top closure for said vial adapted to overlay the upperend of said housing, sections of resilient material in the base of saidcup and on the underside of said top closure, the spacing between saidsections of resilient material when said vial is closed being slightlyless than the length of said capillary tubes so that said tubes tightlyengage said resilient material when said vial is closed preventing axialand lateral movement of said tubes and reducing breakage duringhandling, and a stand for said vial, said stand including a supportledge for engaging the lower portion of said housing and for supportingsaid vial in a substantially upright position and an upstandingprojection mounted on said stand adjacent said ledge, said projectionbeing received within the lower end of said housing and passing throughsaid lower end of said housing to engage the lower end of said cup, saidcup when in position on said projection being elevated by a heightsufficient to cause the upper ends of said tubes to flare radiallyoutwardly,- separating individual tubes for easy removal.

1. In combination, a vial for storing and dispensing capillary tubescomprising an open-end housing with its height greater than twice itsdiameter and having upper and lower ends, a cup having a cross-sectionsubstantially conforming to the cross-section of said housing and beingreceived within said housing for sliding movement therein, the height ofsaid cup being less than one-half the height of said housing, a stop atthe lower end of said housing preventing said cup from passing throughsaid lower end, a top closure for said vial adapted to overlay the upperend of said housinG, sections of resilient material in the base of saidcup and on the underside of said top closure, the spacing between saidsections of resilient material when said vial is closed being slightlyless than the length of said capillary tubes so that said tubes tightlyengage said resilient material when said vial is closed preventing axialand lateral movement of said tubes and reducing breakage duringhandling, and a stand for said vial, said stand including a supportledge for engaging the lower portion of said housing and for supportingsaid vial in a substantially upright position and an upstandingprojection mounted on said stand adjacent said ledge, said projectionbeing received within the lower end of said housing and passing throughsaid lower end of said housing to engage the lower end of said cup, saidcup when in position on said projection being elevated by a heightsufficient to cause the upper ends of said tubes to flare radiallyoutwardly, separating individual tubes for easy removal.